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Spokane School Board Approves New Budget

Doug Nadvornick/SPR

The Spokane school board on Wednesday night approved a budget for the 2019-2020 school year.  

The spending plan totals about $462 million and includes spending cuts in many of the district’s areas. Those include elimination of school librarians, allowing classroom teachers to take over instruction that involves libraries.

Stephanie Oakes made one last argument to the board, urging members to reconsider that.

“School districts that invest in libraries, their well-trained, professional librarians and well-funded collections and technology, reap the benefits. School districts that don’t…well, don’t," Oakes said.

"I understand it may feel too late to undo this proposal, but let me assure you, there could be no greater morale boost for our school staff, administrators, students and community members than bringing school librarians back, regardless of how large that task may be," she said.

Her argument didn’t sway anyone, though at least two board members said they agreed with her point.

The budget includes almost three million dollars in new spending that wasn’t part of the initial budget proposed four weeks ago. That budget includes money to reduce the number of two-grade combination classrooms in elementary schools. It adds seven custodian positions that were to be cut. And it includes money to add staff and supplies for Friday afternoon after-school elementary programs. That will help to care for children who must stay at school when Friday class is dismissed 75 minutes early as a budget saver.

Board member Brian Newberry says the late added spending helps to ease some of the sting of budget cuts.

“I would just compliment my board members for trying to find middle ground," Newberry said. "We could have gone up to $4+ million; we opted to go for $2.9 million extra dollars to make a difference, but we wanted to save some for future years to help out because we do see the tsunami still coming there as well.”

The district’s projected budget deficits are forecast to reach $30 million by the 2022-23 school year.